Antrim U20 hurlers beat Dublin at Jordanstown

Under 20 Leinster Hurling Challenge

Antrim 1-17 Dublin 0-13

Antrim Under 20 hurlers continued their good run of form when they beat their Dublin counterparts in Saturday’s challenge game at UU Jordanstown. Backed by a strong diagonal wind in the opening half the home team were in control for most of the 30 minutes and after being level on two points apiece after 13 minutes, they controled the remainder of the first half and pushed on to hit 1-9 without reply to lead by 1-11 to 0-2 at half time. Dublin looked dangerous at the start of the second half, but the young Saffrons settled again produced a strong finish to win by seven.

*Rian Bubbles McMullan celebrates after scoring the only goal of the game in first-half injury time*

After Dublin’s star man Denis McSweeney gave the visitors an early lead Antrim hit back right away when Aidan Scullion splits the posts at the other end. Dublin went ahead once again when Niall Hogan pointed a free in the eleventh minute, but incredibly that was to be their last score of the opening half as Antrim picked up the pace.

Three points in as many minutes from Tiernan Smyth, Barry Scott and Christy McGarry (direct from a sideline cut) saw Antrim open up a bit of gap and the points began to flow. Daire McMullan, Seamus McAuley (from a 65) and Rian Bubbles McMullan stretched the gap to six, and a late flurry which saw Scott and McMullan add two more and Bubble fire in a great goal, after being put clear by Seamus McAuley had the gap out to twelve by the time referee Eamon Hasson blew the half time whistle.

*Antrim’s Eoin Trainor in action against Dublin*

With the strong breeze at their back Dublin started the second half in a more positive mood and hit four of the next four points. However Seamus McAuley points kept a bit of daylight between the sides and the Saffrons where still seven to the good entering the last ten minutes. Dublin hit back to close the gap to five as the game went into injury time, but Antrim eased any worries they may have had of letting the game slip when substitutes Seanie McIntosh Ronan Laverty hit three late points, McIntosh getting two and Laverty finishing it all off with a peach of a point from out on the right.